If Flame Retardants in Aircraft Parts are Banned, then the Parts on a Distributor’s Shelves May be Banned!

Is it possible that the aircraft interiors parts in your warehouse could be banned by the U.S. government?

Earlier this year, EPA proposed a rule banning certain polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). These are flame retardant chemicals used in certain plastics, including in aircraft interiors. There have been a number of studies focused on the whether passenger or crew exposure to PBDEs in the aircraft could pose a danger.

The US government published a proposed rule that would ban the manufacture, importation, and processing of decaBDE, a flame retardant. The rule could impact manufacturers and suppliers of aviation parts that contain decaBDE.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on April 2, 2012, and the comment period closed on July 30, 2012. You can find information here:

There is a potential that this rule could affect aircraft  parts on your shelves!

If you have an interest in this rule or would like to hear more about it, please contact Sarah Breslin of the Small Business Administration at (202) 292-3410 or sarah.bresolin@sba.gov.

About Jason Dickstein
Mr. Dickstein is the President of the Washington Aviation Group, a Washington, DC-based aviation law firm. Since 1992, he has represented aviation trade associations and businesses that include aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturers, distributors, and repair stations, as well as both commercial and private operators. Blog content published by Mr. Dickstein is not legal advice; and may not reflect all possible fact patterns. Readers should exercise care when applying information from blog articles to their own fact patterns.

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